toulouse geese questions/general geese questions

[Barred Rocks forever]

hello now that i have space i would like to get a breeding pair of geese i would really like exhibition stock toulouse geese the first goos i ever really met was at the susquehanna poultry show and it let me rub its belly the others hissed at me but this one just wanted me to pet it i hear they are high maitnance how so ? would a dog house work for them ? where would be a good place to get them ?

 

[nivtup]

We could never get our Toulouse to go inside. No matter what.

Low maintenance, food and water, not much else.

Ours were really not pets though, pretty much a free range gaggle.


I say get them, they are fun.

 

[Barred Rocks forever]

did you have exhibition stock ? if you guys got any pics of your exhibition stock that be cool

 

[chocolate m'scovy]

If you have problems with neighbors you might want to think twice about getting geese....we had Africans and Chinese and they could honk up a storm. I can't vouch for the Toulouse noise, though...just throwing this at you.

 

[Barred Rocks forever]

thank you i hope somone knows about these

 

[chickensioux]

I don't know if I will be of much help, my knowledge of Toulouse is limited to mine. I adopted a 25 year old female last year. She is an angel. I can pick her up and carry her around, she loves to be scratched on the side of her face and allows me to kiss her. So will my Sebbie I raised from a gosling tho'. I really think it's how they are raised. If you get goslings, probably of any breed, shower it with love and attention, they will be friendly. I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule as some breeds are not as friendly no matter what. My understanding is that Toulouse are laid back geese, more than other breeds tho', Sebbies too. I have an elderly Emden I adopted that is a sweetie too.

My particular Toulouse doesn't honk very much but is loud when she does.

 

[3dogs]

If you have not had experience with geese, I recommend you buy Dave Holderread's book, The Book of Geese, and a pamphlet he wrote on wing disorders. Both are available at his farm's website, http://holderreadfarm.com.

I bought my toulouse goslings from Holderread's last year, and am awaiting my first egg. They are generally quiet birds. Besides a few people on this forum who raise exhibition toulouse, they can be found through contacts at poultry shows or through Holderread's or Metzer's.

The only geese I have experience with are toulouse. My first batch went to a friend when I moved to the west coast a couple of years ago.

 

[dirtygum]

I have to say, if there's any chance of predator problems or even neighbor dogs entering your yard I would consider having a pen or some type of building that they can sleep in at night or escape to during the day. I lost 3 geese one year because of a coyote or two

The very first geese I ever owned were standard Toulouse geese I had bought from a local ag center. Be careful of " good deals". Despite lots of treats and "affection" they got increasingly aggressive and Very territorial to the point that I didn't even want to be around them because they would bite the backs of my legs and leave large bruises. I sold them to a local farmer I know who wanted them as guard geese, and I then bought large dewlap Africans from a reliable source. Although they "talk" a lot, my new geese are the sweetest birds I have. I hand feed them, sit in the yard with them, pet and hug them. They love the attention. Good luck with your Goose adventure. The toulouse are beautiful birds and given good breeding I'm sure would make outstanding companions. I would consider housing from predators though, and beware of any " good deals". I hear Holderread's is a Great source of outstanding and beautiful waterfowl. You get what you pay for!

 

[Shiloh Acres]

My Toulouse (female only - no Toulouse ganders!) are VERY quiet, compared to my Africans, Chinese, Embdens, and Pilgrims. Very shy, mostly hiding behind ganders. But if I need to handle them, I notice they hardly struggle, object, or cry out at all. They don't LIKE being caught, but the put up less fuss than the others. (I had one Chinese gander that reacted violently to being lifted, even if he needed help getting over a low fence, but was sweet otherwise.) I think personality really must depend a LOT on the individual bird or strain, or possibly on how they are raised.

I didn't overly coddle my current flock. I suspect my particular Toulouse would make fine pets if I had raised them as such, and in a smaller group. Mine are not exhibition quality though.

 

[Suzie]

I would say that Toulouse ( apart from being very pretty/handsome ) are wonderful birds - the males Do get a little aggressive in Spring due to mating instincts but otherwise are wonderful and very gentle - I would consider them to be LOW maintenance - they poop like any other geese and mine are always happy to come home in the evenings - secure overnight accommodation is essential if you want to minimise the risk of night predators.

A power washer is a good idea if they do stay inside overnight.... it saves a lot of time and effort in clearing up (behind them....... if you know what I mean) - I have Embden also and would say that of them all the Embden are slightly more "protective"/"aggressive"!

Good luck with your choice(s)

Suzie